Force Logistic Command (FLC), Fleet Marine Force Pacific, Da Nang Vietnam 1968
Backing Up The Troops
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By the beginning of 1968, III MAF had hopes that its major logistical problems were over. The unexpected problems with the new M16 rifles during the past year not only delayed the conversion from the older M 14 rifles, but also required the modification of all of the Ml 6s. Compounding the difficulties for III MAF logisticians were the grounding of the CH-46s,* personnel shortages, combat losses, accidents, and continuing threat of enemy rocket and artillery bombardment of Marine supply and ammunition points. Still, by January 1968, Brigadier General Harry C. Olson, Commanding General, Force Logistic Command (FLC), had taken several steps to alleviate the situation. He had implemented an M16 repair program that was moving at an accelerating pace. Moreover, the FLC had realigned its command structure to meet new deployments, had created new facilities, and had attained a relatively full logistic pipeline. At Da Nang, General Olson had established the headquarters of the FLC/1st Force Service Regiment together with a supply battalion and maintenance battalion.Additional elements of the FLC at Da Nang were the 1st and 3d Military Police Battalions, the 5th Communication Battalion,** and the 7th Motor Transport Battalion. The FLC complex at Da Nang provided the logistic support for both the 1st Marine Division and the Korean Marine Brigade. Two reinforced service battalions, the 1st and 3d, made up the major field elements of the FLC. The 3d Service Battalion which was redesignated Force Logistic Support Group (FLSG) Alpha at Phu Bai maintained subunits at Khe Sanh and Camp Evans. In mid-January, with the arrival of U.S. Army units into Thua Thien, FLSG Alpha temporarily supported elements of *See Chapter 25 relative to the problem with helicopters. **In addition to the 5th Communication Battalion in Vietnam there was the 7th Communication Battalion directly under the 1st Marine Division. The Wing had under its command Marine Wing Communications Squadron l (MWCS-1) and directly under III MAF was Sub-Unit l, 1st Radio Battalion which at the beginning of the year was at Khe Sanh. |
the Army's 1st Cavalry Division and 101st Airborne Division. On 29 January, the Army assumed responsibility for its own logistic support at Camp Evans and the Marine logistic unit there then augmented the Marine subunit at Khe Sanh. FLSG Alpha retained responsibility for the 1st Marine Division Task Force X-Ray elements, newly arrived in the Phu Bai and Phu Loc areas. At Dong Ha, in the 3d Marine Division sector, FLSG Bravo, based upon the 1st Service Battalion, remained responsible for the logistic support of the division units along the DMZ and at Quang Tri.*** During January 1968, III MAF supported 49,000 troops north of the Hai Van Pass, requiring about 2,000 short tons of supplies per day.1 To support the fuel needs of the augmented forces arriving in northern I Corps, the FLC had completed construction in January of a 3,000-barrel capacity steel fuel tank near the Hue LCU ramp in the city.'** Unfortunately, on 2 February, during the enemy attack on Hue, rockets slammed into the fuel farm, destroying 110,000 gallons ofJP-4 jet aviation gas. While the enemy offensive forced the allies to close the LCU ramp and the fuel farm temporarily, the FLC had the facility back in operation by mid-February. Elsewhere during their Tet offensive, the Communist forces struck at other Marine logistic targets. At Da Nang, like all other III MAF units, the FLC Marines were on full alert. The two military police battalions, the 1st and 3d MP Battalions, assisted the Marine infantry and local ARVN units in turning back the aborted enemy attack on the I Corps headquarter s compound.* While a few rockets landed nearby during the offensive, the FLC complex at Red Beach remained relatively unscathed ***FLSG Bravo also maintained a supply company at Chu Lai in Quang Tin Province to provide logistic support for the Marine aviation units that remained based there. Colonel Rex O. Dillow, the III MAF G-4 or logistics officer, noted that with the relocation of units there were constant requests for materials and engineers to build hospitals, headquarters buildings, and permanent structures at the new locations. He declared that the generators practically required armed guards because of their limited availability. Col Rex O. Dillow, Comments on draft, dtd 10Nov94 (Vietnam Comment File), hereafter Dillow Comments. ****The allies maintained LCU ramps at both Hue and at Dong Ha because LCUs were the largest craft which could negotiate the Perfume and Cua Viet Rivers, respectively, due to silting problems in both rivers. Page 582 (Backing Up The Troops ) ‹ Page 581 up Page 583 › |
Page 582
Page 582 (Backing Up The Troops)
The forgotten USMC Divers of Han River Vietnam, also called the Da Nang River in 1968!
Force Logistic Command (FLC), Fleet Marine Force Pacific, Da Nang Vietnam
Photos 1968 -1969
Marines Sandbag an Outpost, 1969 "Bunker Builder: |
| Marines Sandbag an Outpost, 1969
"Bunker Builder: Not all Marines serving with the Force Logistic Command (FLC) are involved with supply operations. Two Marine attached to the FLCs 1st Military Police Battalion put the finishing touches to their outposts. One Leatherneck wields the sandbags while his buddy watches for possible enemy snipers. The outpost is one of several which help protect approaches to the nearby Da Nang Air Base (official USMC photo by Corporal Mike Teramoto)."
From the Jonathan Abel Collection (COLL/3611), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections. |
Marine Guards Da Nang Bridges, 1969 Force Logistic Command’s 3d Military Police Battalion |
| "Lonely Vigil: A member of the Force Logistic Command’s 3d Military Police Battalion keeps his M-16 rifle at the ready and a sharp eye peeled for any unusual debris floating in the water beneath Da Nang’s main bridges. In the past, enemy forces have made several ill-fated attempts to blow up the bridges which constitute the main access routes to South Vietnam’s second largest city (official USMC photo by Corporal Mike Teramoto)."
From the Jonathan Abel Collection (COLL/3611), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections. |
Marines Inspect a Boat - 25 August 1968 Force Logistic Command’s B Company, 1st Military Police Battalion |
| "Boat Check: Two Marines from B Company, 1st Military Police Battalion, inspect a boat passing along their tower check point south of the III Marine Amphibious Force Bridge. The 1st MP Battalion, a unit of the Force Logistic Command, provides security for the area east of Da Nang (official USMC photo by Private First Class R. K. Nystrom)."
From the Jonathan Abel Collection (COLL/3611), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections. |
Marines with Skimmer Boat, 1969 A Company, 1st Military Police Battalion |
| "Marines Landing: This 18 foot fiberglass skimmer boat powered by an outboard engine is used by A Company, 1st Military Police Battalion to transport troops to trouble areas along the maze of waterways south of the massive Da Nang air base. The 1st MP Battalion is responsible for the security of the sprawling air base and the villages and hamlets that surround it. The skimmer boat is used constantly by the MPs to provide a quick and reliable means of transportation (official USMC photo by Sergeant Mike Teramoto)."
From the Jonathan Abel Collection (COLL/3611), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections. |
.50 Caliber Machine Gun Team, 1968 C Company, 1st Military Police Battalion |
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"Watching for the Enemy: A Marine .50 caliber machine gun team from C Company, 1st Military Police Battalion, maintains a vigil on the southern end of the Cam Lo Bridge, eight kilometers south of here, (left to right): Staff Sergeant Booker T. Hunter (Compton, California), Private First Class Rick R. Chapin (Findlay, Ohio), and Lance Corporal Thomas J. Bowman (Sumter, South Carolina). Extra fire power was put into position on both sides of the bridge during heavy fighting in which 63 Viet Cong were killed while attempting to enter Da Nang (official USMC photo by Staff Sergeant Bob Bowen).""
From the Jonathan Abel Collection (COLL/3611), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections. |
Search and Clear Operation, 1969 A Company, 1st Military Police Battalion |
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"Searching for the Enemy: Marine Private First Class John R. Hofstrand (Vallejo, California), a radio operator with A Company, 1st Military Police Battalion, follows a trail while on a search and clear operation south of the massive Da Nang air field. The Marines, in conjunction with Vietnamese soldiers, conduct day and night patrols and ambushes in the villages and hamlets surrounding the military installation to detect enemy activity in the area (official USMC photo by Sergeant Mike Teramoto)."
From the Jonathan Abel Collection (COLL/3611), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections. |
Scout Dog in Search and Clear Operation, 1969 A patrol of Force Logistic Command (FLC) |
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"On the Move: A patrol of Force Logistic Command (FLC) Marines utilize the services of a scout dog and handler during a search and clear operation northwest of Da Nang. The dog and handler are members of FLC’s 3d Military Police Battalion. Scout dogs have proven extremely effective in uncovering enemy personnel and weapons caches throughout the northernmost tactical area of South Vietnam (official USMC photo by Captain D. G. Menely)."
From the Jonathan Abel Collection (COLL/3611), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections. |
Carl Pedrotti and Scout Dog 'Wotan', 11 July 1968 The scout dog is from the 3d Military Police Battalion |
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"Alert: Corporal Carl J. Pedrotti watches his scout dog Wotan as he stops to test the wind while on patrol. The scout dog is from the 3d Military Police Battalion’s Scout Dog Plaoon. Dog teams are used as point on patrols to give infantrymen an early warning if the enemy is nearby (official USMC photo by Private First Class Roger Nystrom)."
From the Jonathan Abel Collection (COLL/3611), Marine Corps Archives & Special Collections. |
The forgotten USMC Divers of Han River Vietnam, also called the Da Nang River in 1968!